Heart Beat Weekly Online Newsletter

Dear Sacred Heart Families,

REFLECTION:
Advent is one of those times during the year when parents can really pull out the stops with little family traditions. In my family, it always began with setting up our Advent Wreath, and then our nativity crèche, followed by my father's birthday, and six days later on December 6th, St. Nicholas' feast day. I'll never forget, one year, waking up to a cap gun and leather holster under my pillow. Times have changed a wee bit! There were a lot of other little things we used to do, each one eagerly anticipated, and many of which I continue with my own kids. Of course, Advent is about a lot more than toys, lights, and trees, but it's also about, for me at least, creating memories and traditions for our families.

GIFTS OF THE HEART:

We are kicking off our annual Gifts of the Heart campaign. The focus for this year is "Preparing students for a technology-rich world." Please find the brochure for the campaign in your envelope. It outlines our goals and how you can donate. The campaign runs from December 1st through February 1st. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you very much for your generosity.

COLONIAL DAYS:
Thank you again to all of the parents of the 1st, 2nd, and 5th grades that helped our teachers make this event such a success for the students. I can't tell you how impressed I was by the effort put into the "attire," the décor and activities, and more importantly, by the learning I witnessed. For the students, Colonial Day is certain to be a memory to last a lifetime.

SCHOOLSPEAK:
The teaching staff is moving to a new portal for publishing grades, progress reports, report cards, and homework. We have stopped using Grade Network, and when we make the final switch (hopefully by next Monday), we will no longer be using School Notes either. With School Speak you will be able to view important information regarding your child's progress and it will available in one place.Within the next week, all families will receive an email with their School Speak Login/Username and Password. As soon as you log in, you will be able to view the information for all of your children in one place. Students will get their own separate login information. SchoolSpeak is in use in many Diocese schools and I've heard a lot of very positive feedback about its use. Our Tech committee also looked into it last year and recommended it for the school. I'm excited that we can offer this communication tool to our families, and I'm certain that you will find SchoolSpeak convenient and practical. The system has a lot of potential uses for us that we will look into using in years to come. I appreciate your patience as we make this move.

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION/THURSDAY LITURGY CHANGE:
Since next Tuesday is a holy day of obligation, we will be having our regular weekly liturgy on Tuesday instead of Thursday. We will revert back to the usual Thursday schedule the following week. The 8th graders will be leading the liturgy next Tuesday-you are welcome to join us!

TREE LIGHTING:
Mrs. Wyant reports that the Music Spirit Team showed a lot of spirit last Friday at the Saratoga Tree Lighting ceremony. The weather wasn't perfect, but they persevered and did an outstanding job. Thank you to all the students and parents who attended the event on our behalf.

I wish you all a very memorable and blessed advent season.

God bless,
Tom Pulchny

Wreaths and Poinsettias Pick Up

Thanks to all those who supported the 8th grade fundraiser by purchasing Poinsettias and Wreaths. Pick up of these beautiful Christmas items is scheduled for this Friday December 4, 2009. Pick up your purchases out in front of the Church from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Thanks,
Trish Miller

Christian Living Outreach: The Giving Tree
by Kathy Lambert

Our Christian Living and Parish wide outreach this holiday season is a "Giving Tree". On the branches of the Christmas tree in church are ornaments which specify a gift for an economically disadvantaged child. During this upcoming Thursday liturgy the students are invited to choose an ornament and fulfill the wish that is specified on the ornament. The silver ornaments are Sacred Heart Community Services clients and the gold ornaments are O'Connor Hospital clients. Please read the requests carefully and return the gifts during the offertory at Mass on the next two weekends of Advent. The students may also bring them to Thursday Mass on December 10. Remember to re-attach the ornaments to the gift. Thanks for supporting our stewardship efforts.

The Christian Living class representatives send special thanks to those students that wrote cards for the soldiers fighting to protect our freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. The recipients are most grateful for your kind thoughts and prayers.

O'Connor Hospital Gifts
by Cathleen Harter

Does your child need service hours? They are welcome to join the RCIA group on Sunday December 13, 2009 after the 9:00am Mass in the Parish Center. We will be wrapping gifts for O'Connor Hospital. Feel free to drop off any extra Christmas Bags, wrapping paper, bows, in the school office.

Contact Cathleen Harter for further information at abcharter@aol.com.

POSTAGEPALOOZA
by Ms. Tomaino

It's b-a-c-k!!!

Greetings everyone! Once again I'm trying this WONDERFUL fundraiser called "Postagepalooza!" If you've never heard of it before, it's where your children's art and fundraising work go "hand in hand!" Starting next week, the children will bring home their art work (including information and order forms) for you and "the entire world to see!" After gazing at their masterpieces and beaming with pride, you can select a variety of items (such as ACTUAL postage stamps, stationery, stickers and assortments of other goodies). ALL done with your child's art work!

There will be an instruction sheet telling you WHEN and WHERE to drop off your CHECK, the ORDER FORM and your children's ART WORK. (I will most likely have a "drop-off" box in the office.) I will then send the "goods" off and we will all wait, with anticipation, for the final product! It's that easy!

Now.....here's the BEST part..........25% of the proceeds go back to the school! Woohoo! What a way for the kids to immortalize their art work forever and raise money for the school!

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Happy Holidays to each and every one of you!

Cheers and all the best!
With deepest affection,
Miss Teeeeee

This year's theme is VALENTINE's DAY!
Please know that this fundraiser is OPTIONAL and NOT MANDATORY!

Gala Volunteer Update

"Under The Sea" Sacred Heart Dinner Auction 2010! Help us 'make a splash' for an enchanting evening! See the flyer in today's Tuesday Envelope.

Impromptu Lunch Orders
December Ordering Is Now Closed!

DSJ Logo

The December ordering for lunch and dinner to go is now closed. If you would like to purchase lunches or dinner to go please call the phone number below or email Impromptu.

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact us at: impromptulg@aol.com or 408-605-1777

Thank you for your continued support.

Impromptu Catering Website

Kids CAN Move Mountains
Sacred Heart 's 7th Grade Food Drive

THANK YOU Sacred Heart Donors!

A heartfelt thank you for your generosity and support! With your contributions, the kids were able to collect 2,300 lbs. of food for Second Harvest Food Bank!
This amazing amount of food was enough to prepare 1,769 meals or feed 442 families of four. Sacred Heart made it to the Bronze donor level delivering between 1,000-4,000 lbs.!!

To the parents, students, staff and parishioners that were involved, you should take a bow for the impact your community service had on those less fortunate. You made the holidays that much brighter for those in need!

A special thank you to Mrs. Schelegle and her 7th grade class for initiating this food drive and doing an outstanding job reaching this donor level!!

Indeed, they moved mountains with this effort!

And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed.. 99¾% guaranteed! KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS! - Dr. Suess
.

Ice Cream Orders

Please send in a new ice cream form as many children are out of credits. If you have any questions please contact Kathy Arena at 408-499-6679.

Click on the link below for the Ice Cream Form and send back to the school office with the payment.

Ice Cream Form

Christmas Eve Children's Liturgy-4pm Mass

by Ruth Ann Juliano

Again this year children will be part of the entrance procession, dramatization, and gift procession. Angels, banner carriers, and candle bearers are needed from grades K through 12. Please contact Ruth Ann Juliano 408-867-2863 or rajcostumes@yahoo.com or Dawn Juliano 408-247-1898 or drjuliano@sbcglobal.net to participate.

There will be 2 rehearsals, December 19 at 9:30am to 12pm (costumes will be assigned at this date) and on December 22nd from 10am to 12pm. We would like the children to be able to be at both rehearsals.

St. Francis High School "Christmas At Our House"

The Women's Club of Saint Francis High School in Mountain View will be hosting its 21st annual "Christmas At Our House" home tour on Friday and Saturday, December 4 and 5, 2009, together with a Twilight Tour and Preview Party on the evening of Thursday, December 3. For more information, click on the link below.

Christmas At Our House Information

Sports News

Well I've started getting the uniforms out--hopefully by Friday it will all be done!!!! Complete game and practice schedules for the entire season will go home 12/15!

Practices are going along--hopefully your athlete is attending!

Alumni News---wow lots of former Mustangs are helping their school teams do great things:

Alex Miller helped her Lancer frosh tennis team win the WCAL & she is now helping coach our 5th girls.
Brielle Mariucci and Erin Cassini played on the WCAL winning Lancer frosh VB team.
Colin Johnson (08 Dalton), Marko Gera & Nick Conroy worked hard to get their Lancer JV FB team to a 1st place WCAL finish.
Colleen O'Hara has made the Pres frosh soccer team.
Daniel Fields & Nathan McCabe are wrestling for the Bells.
Ellen Jewell is playing varsity soccer for the Monarchs.
Connor O'Flaherty is playing soccer for the Bells.
Sarah Knysh (4 yr varsity water polo for Saratoga) was chosen All League goalie.
Joan Caloiaro (06 Formico) & Shannon Fleming are still leading their Mitty VB team towards a NorCal and hopefully state championship.
Taylor Numann is coaching JV Soccer at Presentation.

Wow--I'm sure there are more so let me know!

Have a great week, Sandy

Faith Formation

As we enter the season of Advent we are waiting, watching and yearning for the coming of the Lord. How are we preparing for His coming? Are we preparing? Why? Why not?

Today I mentioned to the children Jesus is already on his return flight back to earth, the day nor the hour of his arrival is not known, nevertheless he is coming back. We say at Mass almost every week "Christ has died, Christ has risen and Christ will come again." Again, I ask how are we preparing. What is preventing us from preparing for his return?

Patrick DeLorenzo
Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation

Saint of the Week: St. Francis Xavier
Thursday December 3

Jesus asked, "What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" (Matthew 16:26a). The words were repeated to a young teacher of philosophy who had a highly promising career in academics, with success and a life of prestige and honor before him.

Francis Xavier, 24 at the time, and living and teaching in Paris, did not heed these words at once. They came from a good friend, Ignatius of Loyola, whose tireless persuasion finally won the young man to Christ. Francis then made the spiritual exercises under the direction of Ignatius, and in 1534 joined his little community (the infant Society of Jesus). Together at Montmartre they vowed poverty, chastity and apostolic service according to the directions of the pope.

From Venice, where he was ordained priest in 1537, Francis Xavier went on to Lisbon and from there sailed to the East Indies, landing at Goa, on the west coast of India. For the next 10 years he labored to bring the faith to such widely scattered peoples as the Hindus, the Malayans and the Japanese. He spent much of that time in India, and served as provincial of the newly established Jesuit province of India.

Wherever he went, he lived with the poorest people, sharing their food and rough accommodations. He spent countless hours ministering to the sick and the poor, particularly to lepers. Very often he had no time to sleep or even to say his breviary but, as we know from his letters, he was filled always with joy.

Francis went through the islands of Malaysia, then up to Japan. He learned enough Japanese to preach to simple folk, to instruct and to baptize, and to establish missions for those who were to follow him. From Japan he had dreams of going to China, but this plan was never realized. Before reaching the mainland he died. His remains are enshrined in the Church of Good Jesus in Goa.

Partners in Faith

Hey Friends and Family! Check out the December edition of Partners in Faith. There are great articles on Our Lady of Guadalupe and the meaning behind why we sing Christmas carols! There is also an Advent calendar attached so that you can celebrate every day of the holiday season!

December Partners in Faith

Advent Calendar

Heart Beat Weekly Deadline for Submissions

The procedure for placing articles, information, flyers or announcements in our weekly Tuesday bulletin is as follows: All "blurbs" are due by email to the school office by Friday of each week at 12pm.

Please send your emails to c.parra@sacredheartsaratoga.org

Any items received on a Monday will be placed in the next week's bulletin. Please be prompt with sending in your bulletin items.

Non-Discrimination Information

Sacred Heart School does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and/or ethnic origin, age, sex or disability in administration of educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.